As with the twin-engine sprint machine competition regulations of the time presented their own problems. Front brakes were still required and the question of rear suspension was open to the RAC’s interpretation. Also any thoughts of running with the engine exposed, as was the American style, was not allowed. It was decided to build a conventional machine which would have to have front brakes and a complete body. Be- cause Sydney’s aim was to run it at the Brighton Speed Trials the design had to more robust than an out and out 1/4-mile sprint machine. Brighton at the time was a standing start one kilometre run along the sea front and dependant on the wind could be treacherous. It was far from flat having a notorious bump to- wards the end of the kilometre. Rather than going down the conventional route, we should have spent more time researching what the Americans were doing. However, we were embarking on building a machine which would need to perform on distances from a quarter mile, a half mile and up to one kilometre. As far as achieving 1/4-mile times much below the 10-second barrier this was always going to be extremely hard. The Americans were beginning to move away from the long-held theory that for maximum traction you needed the engine as far back to the rear axle as possible, with the driver behind the rear axle and a rela- tively high centre of gravity.
Apart from the supercharger (basically GMC) and it’s manifold blow off valve, Schieffer clutch, aluminium flywheel and M&H slick tyres which came from America, the whole car was an Allard design. Some parts were original Allard parts, such as the quick-change differential unit, 12″ diameter x 1.75″ Lockheed backplates, Alfin brake drums, steering box (Marles) and radius rod forged axle yokes. The front wheels (Lotus) were from the two-seater Steyr ‘Sports Car’, along with it’s aluminium Girling callipers and disc’s which were machined from the casting utilised on the Ford 105E disc brake conversion. The remaining proprietary items were the gearbox, which was a Ford V-8 side change unit and a Ford Pilot axle beam. The gearbox was fitted with a close ratio set of gears. However it was envisaged that the gears as such would not be used, it’s purpose being to engage and disengage the transmission.